He-Man and Skeletor are back to battle for the future of Eternia!
As a fan of Mattel's Masters of the Universe franchise since the classic toy line's original release in the early eighties, I've been excited to see what director Kevin Smith's (Clerks) animated reboot would look like at Netflix.
Masters of the Universe: Revelation, picking up where the original animated series ended in 1985, builds on the success of Netflix's She-Ra and the Princesses of Power reboot in 2018. Some of my earliest blog posts chronicled collecting Masters of the Universe action figures in the eighties and noughties, and Smith is passionate about the beloved franchise.
“So much of this show has been possible because of the love and affection for this world at every level of production and the fandom surrounding this franchise,” Smith said in a statement.
“So many of us were touched by these stories and these characters early in our lives and we're so happy to come back to Eternia. But even if you’ve never watched a single episode of the show or don’t know this universe at all, you can jump right into the story. It’s a really classic, universal action-adventure epic about growth, discovery, magic, and power. This series explores destiny in a fresh way. There’s a lot of reconciling with secrets, betrayal, trust, acceptance, love, and ultimately, loss.”
Read the official series synopsis:
"The war for Eternia culminates in Masters of the Universe: Revelation, an innovative and action-packed animated series that picks up where the iconic characters left off decades ago. After a cataclysmic battle between He-Man and Skeletor, Eternia is fractured and the Guardians of Grayskull are scattered. And after decades of secrets tore them apart, it’s up to Teela to reunite the broken band of heroes, and solve the mystery of the missing Sword of Power in a race against time to restore Eternia and prevent the end of the universe."
The five-episode series from Mattel Television has a star-studded cast including Mark Hamill as Skeletor, Lena Headey as Evil-Lyn, Chris Wood as Prince Adam/He-Man, Sarah Michelle Gellar as Teela, Liam Cunningham as Man-At-Arms, Stephen Root as Cringer, Henry Rollins as Tri-Klops, Alicia Silverstone as Queen Marlena and Jason Mewes as Stinkor. Hollywood composer Bear McCreary (Battlestar Galactica) is on hand to underscore the fantastical world of Eternia.
The Netflix series, a love letter to grown-up fans (myself included), will of course be supported by obligatory toys and related consumer products from Mattel. The initial wave of 7" Masterverse action figures arrives in-store and online (affiliate link) on 15th June. Further waves are expected to be revealed at Power-Con 2021.
“Last year, we set the stage for the 2021 reboot of Masters of the Universe through the launch of nostalgic action figures and a Castle Grayskull playset, that offer a retro play experience, to much fanfare,” said PJ Lewis, VP, Global Head, Action Figures at Mattel.
“Our new line, designed for collectors and new fans alike, provides a modern interpretation of these classic characters, and I can’t wait for you to check it out.”
Masters of the Universe: Revelation premieres on Netflix on 23rd July.
Are you excited for more Masters of the Universe, and what are your favourite memories of the franchise? Let me know in the comments below.
